Spiral conveyer.



IVI. U. BERNHE|M. v

SPIRAL coNvEvER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 27. |915.

Patented Dea. 18, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SIIEET F/oor M. U. BERNHEIM.

SPIRAL CONVEYER.

APPLICATIQN min 1AM.21..1915.

1,250,777, I' Patented Dec. i8, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEETQ.

1 way MORRIS rranged to SATS? U. BEBNIIEIM, or CINCINNATI, OHIO,AssIGNOIiT-Ofiiiiini ALv'EY-FENGSON COMPANY, or OAKLEY, OINeINNArI,OHIO, AfcOIirOIniTION` OF OHIO.` L

f srIRAI. OONyEYEn.,

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, MORRIS', U6, BERN, HEIM, a citizen of the UnitedStates, resid ing at Cincinnati,- in the countyofI-Iamilton and StateofOhio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spiral'Conyeyers, of which the following isa specia fication. 1

This applicationv is led 'as a` continuation in partof my application.kSerialNo. 696,918,

`filed May 13, 1912,l which resulted in ther grant of Letters Patentof'thej United States in said application 696,918 merely' yin theinclusion of the Figure' 5. Y l

The invention primarily consists 'of a con- Ive'yer having an ber whichsupports a series of lways extending spirally around the same, said wayshaving adjacent ends 0r terminals relatively arprovide a. junctionintermediate thelength (hereinafter designated first spiral and secondspiral respectively) being disposed y ywhile another at one side of saidjunction,

(hereinafter termed third spirall is arranged at the other side of'saidjunction,

there being at said junction an opening in the bed or way of theconveyer and a pivotally adjustable member of the bed or way Vis adaptedto bridge said opening and to serve as a means by which the isdirectlvVconnected with one ofthedother spirals, the adjustability ofA saidbridging third spiral member enabling` communication of the third spiralwithf the trolled.

The invention also consists in certain peculiaritiesin the constructionand arrange-l ment of parts, and in novel combinations of elementssubstantially as hereinafter described and particularly pointed out inthe vsubjoined claims.

1n the accompanying drawings, wherein- Fig. 2 is a view on aSpecification of Letters Patent. i

locking i means shown in internalv longitudinal rn'enii of the conveyer,two of said ways ,one side first spiral and and second s irai,alternatel to be coni l munication witheitherthe-first spiral or largerscale of the portion of the conveyer at the junction of`V AintentenDee.v 18,1917.

Application filed January 27, 1915..4 Serial 4,592. if z 4 y the threeways, vshowing the .third way vconnected to the Vother ways, in full andbroken lines, respectively: the casing being shown .in section.. i; 1

'.Figf?) is-atransverse sectionon the linel Fig.l 4 isaview'showingthevjunction of the -three ways, `v einbodying a structurewherein the central sup sorting memberis vdivided transversely; an tionsoffset from :each -otherwith ythe adj usti able-section'of-the bedmodified tol adapt it No. 1,129,781v the 'disclosure in they present l,i application differing from the disclosurel has its .twoV por-1;

nates the second'spirall and Dfdesignates `the ."thirdfspiral. Each Vofthese spirals eX- tends .around and isfsuitably `connected to said`supporting member` VgA. The first spiral B and the=second spira-l C aredisposed ,about`v a* portion, of the supporting member A whichvmaybeconsidered tobe a commonv portionV of the latter, being' .at of whatisherein referred to asA a junction, while'the third spiral D is arrangedat the other lside of said junction,

the three spirals having their ends relatively arranged to provide avspace which separates the end of the third spiral from the ends of theotherspirals, andthe portionl of the bed. Or'way vwhichis arranged atthe junetion thereof comprises an adjustableisection E which is adaptedtobridge said space and is such that byfitsmere adjustment thethirdspiral is thrown into direct comthe second spiral,lat will. iTliespiral'ways may befof any @suitable kind but v,preferably are ofthesmooth blade type. l. l The iirst and second spirals BandC` terminateapproximately on the, 'same level, and the bridgingmember, E,fis`preferably providedv at top and bottom respectively with flangedcollars e and e to or between f whose flanges, marked 11, the inner edge12 yof the bridging member. is suitably secured,

asby rivets 13. The collars are rotatably mounted on the post A, andsuitable stops 4are provided to define the limitsof-thepiv- Otalmovementjpof the bridging member kabout;saidpost to those in which vits,lcjzweril() edge alined'with the upper edges of the spirals B and C,respectively. This bridg- 1v'ing member is preferably supported by amemberis preferably composed of projec- -tions l5 which are spaced aparton the col` lar 14 and are arranged in the path of movement of theflange or {ianges l1 of the lower Acollar e.

'T'The bridging member E is curved and pitched,forming a spiralsectionofthe bed or way, and is such that it may be adjustable to bridge thespacebetween the spiral j D and spiral B,Aas shown 'infull.-lines in Figs. V1andf 2,'or to bridge thecther space lbetween the spiralD and the'spiralC, as

shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. Itis true that when 'the .bridgingmember E is moved to bring its lower end into registry with the spiralC,y there will be a space between vthe lower end of the spiral D andtheface :of

the bridging -member E but the angle of this bridging member is suchthat packages falling therefrom will be effectively directed upon'thespiral C. vNo objectionable jar or lshock will `result because theinclination of the bridging element is inthefdirection of the line oftravel of thepackages.l V

. The construction shown 4in Fig. `4 is particularly-devised for usewhen for .anyf reason itis not practicable to use a continuous. postextending `through the floor. The

post-in this event is divided, its two sections --being marked A2"v andA21 respectively.

The section A20`carries the two spirals B20 and C20, and the sectionA21, carries the spiral D20, the spiral D20 in this particular casebeing. separated from the spirals B20 and C20 by a space which isbridged. by an adjustable member, E20, one of whose -edges is hingedlysecured at 2O` inv proximity to the end ofthe spiralD20, its other endvbeing free to swing from the spiral B20 to the lspiral C20, as shown bythe full and dotted lines respectively in saidFig.

4. `The conveyer preferably includes an outer casing of suitable kind,vhaving feed 4and discharge openings at `the various floors, said casingserving to inclose the spirals and the central supporting member, beingspaced from the latter sufiiciently to receive the [spirals and havingits innerwall'adjacent to the edges of the spirals. The casing,

'shown -in Figs. l-3, inclusive, is-marked F and its openings, markedF,vare provided vwith suitable doors, as usual. 1 The casing l{ inFig. 4is-marked F20-and has an-oifset .arrangement ofthe spirals and `postshown part, as shown,.to adaptiit to the offset linfsaid figure.

-provements -will lie-found to'be vusefulin i floors. For example, itswaysl Band C may be employed respectively to carry packages intended tobe discharged at different laces or for ackaoes of differentcharacters,.-receiving said packages from the way D, common to all suchpackages. To illustrate, let -us assume that the conveyer servesthirteen floors through which it extends and that the blades `or ways Band C are respectively intended for charge packages and paid packagesand, .extend Vfrom ythe seventhl iiood downward, the bladeD extendingfrom the seventh floor upward into the thirteenth floor.l `Attendantsplace both kcharge packages and paid packagesy on the blade D, above theseventh.. floor, and these Vpackages 7are thence'conducted by saidbladeto the seventh floor at which the junction=of said blade-D withtheblades B and .C is located, and byproper manipulationwof the bridgingmember'of the wa atsaid'v unction, isideliveredtothe appropriate bladeployed --The onefillustratedin Figs.;1, 2

and 3 comprises teeth 50 on` thecollar e, said teeth interineshingwith.` an appropriate gear 5l carried by a shaft V52 `having a sprocket.or gear 5.3 which is engagedy by racks 54 and 55 connected'with.anyendless cable whose runs or strands are. designated 56 `and 5T,respectively. f This lcableeXtends over a suitable pulley 58 above andunder a suitable pulley 59, below. Thercableniay be operated from any ofthe fioorsservedV by .the blade D and its strands 56 and .57.,preferably have on each iioor buttonsmarked 60 and 61,. respectively, orother. suitable means, for convenience in operati-ng4 them. Qbviously,theposition ofthebuttons will indicate theposition of the adjustablemember of the bed. By ,pulling ,upward one of .the strandsor runs ,ofthe cable, theadjustable meinberof the Vbed will'be movedffrom practice,but as suchv means. are commonly used with cables, chains or .the like,itis considered tofbe unnecessary todescribe the vsamei-nxdetail herein,

v thereof, will preferably be employed in` In the form shown in Figs. 4and 5 lthe vbridging member E20, has a lateral' projectionvwhichtraverses a slot 201 in the casing and is engaged by a suitable raisingand lowering means, "as'the endless cable 202,l or the like, shown insaid igure,said cable also having buttons 203 f on both, of its strands.

In this form of the invention the third spiral D20 isl connectedalternately with the first spiral B20 andv second spiral C20'byraisingand lowering the bridging member E20, the latter swinging fromitspivoted end 20. `This raising and lowering of the bridging inemberisaccomplished by proper manipulation of theendless cable. In-pracvticesuitable means are provided whereby` he bridging member is held in itsproper correlation with the first spiral B2o while a package is passingthereover to said spiral, tlie'means referred to being of a nature suchas to release the bridging member when it is desiredto lower the latter.Fig. 5 shows 'a desirable means of the kind referred to. Thiscomprises aspring'pressed YVbolt 204 l carried bythe bridging inembena`boltactuator'205 movable with thecable and a- 'latch 206 pivoted` to thecasing. This parand C20 may be employed for charge .packa es and aidackao'es or for ackaves 1 intended to be discharged at different places,

or for 4packages of dilierent characters and that these spirals, aswellas the spiral D20, vmay extend through anyvnumberof floors in abuilding.

It also will be noted that the correlation of the spirals and adjustablebridging means in each of the particular embodiments of the inventionherein describedis such that packages are delivered from the thirdspiral to ythe first spira-l or second spiral, at will, by

the mere adjustmentof'the bridging means and it will be noted furtherthat the correlation ot' the parts is such that the delivery of thepackages between thethird spiral and the other spirals is a direct one,thevk adji i supporting means, two ways extending spijustable switchingmember in none' of the herein exemplified forms of the invention servingto carry the packages to discharge openings in the casing orV away fromthe conveyer, or to other conveying4 mechanisms. Y Again, it will benoted that vwhile the conveyer has been described with reference to theuse ofthe third spiral as a meansffor feeding packages to the iirst andsecond spirals, it will not be a departure `from the spirit of theinvention to reverse vthis relative arrangement of the spirals, that isto say, to correlatethe parts in either of the embodiments hereinexemplified so that packages will be fed by' the third way inV 'justmentl,of the y to shiftone of its ends froml operative rel'a-` Y rst andsecond Y spirals to the third spiral. It will further be noted that,while Athe conveyer has been exemplified as extending through' the ioorsof a building,`it may be arranged outside ofthe building.` These andother changes V in the exemplified'construction andarrangement ofpartsare contemplated to be within the spirit 'of the invention and thescope 'of the subjoinedl claims. i Having now described the inventionwhat I believe to bejnewand desire to `secure by '.Letter's Patent, is f1 `l. AV conveyer comprising a plurality of 'ways' spirally'dispose'dand with helices of' one arrangedbetween helices of the other,

a'inembe'r'vhavingan end for `operative con-- .nectionf 'with' either ofsaid ways, said member being adjustable to shift, its said end Jfromeither way to the other, and another spirally disposed way operativelyrelated to. the other end of the adjustable member in the differentpositions of thelatter.

2. A conveyer comprising aplurality of `spiral ways having a commonlongitudinal axis and with helices of one arranged'between helices ofthe other, a bridging Imeinvberhaving an 'end for operative connectionwith either of said ways, said-member being adjustable to'shi'ft itssaid end from either way to the other, and a third spirall way whoseaxis is substantially alinedfwith the.

axis of the 'other ways and whose end is spaced from the ends ofthelatter '.ways,

said bridging member being mounted 'in the* yspace 'between thethird-way and the first mentionedways and' having its end opposite thelatter in operativerelation with the 3. A conveyer, `comprising aninternal supporting means. axirst spiral and a second spiral extendingaroundone part of said meansa thirdspiral extending' around another partof said means and having its jk'terminals spaced from the terminals of:the first and second spirals, and a pivotally adjustable member forbridging the space be- 'tween the third'pspiral andy either of the4other spirals, atwill.

51A CO-nVeyer ComprisingV an' internal packages between the third wayandeither others, said member being adjustable tion withieither oftheirst mentioned ways into operative relation with the otherand itsIdifferent positions of ad-`4 2 being roperatively related tothe thirdway in, either of its positions.

A spiral conveyer comprising an internal supporting means, a pluralityof ways coiled spirally about a common part of the internal supportingmeans, a separate way coiled spirally about a different part of theinternal supporting meansand having its end spaced from the ends of thefirst mentioned ways, a casing inclosing the ways, and a member inV saidcasing for transferring Ypackages betweenjsaid separate way and other-spiral ways at will, said member being 'either of the other ways, saidmember being mounted in the space between the waysand adjustable toshift one of the ends from operative relation Awith either of the'firstkmentioned ways into operative relation with theother ofthe same,its other end being operatively vrelated to said separate way in eitherposition of the member.

6. A conveyer comprising aV plurality of `spiral ways. disposed in acommon portion of the conveyer, a member having an end for operativeconnection with either of said ways, saidmember being adjustable toshift its said end from either way to the other,

means for adjusting said member from different places, and anotherspiral way :operai tively related to the other end of theadjustadjustable and so correlated with the ways that oiieof its endswill be movable from one tothe other of the first mentioned spiral `waysand its other end will be in operative relation with the separate spiralway in the dierent positions of the member, and an outer casing'lencircling said ways.

- 8. A conveyer comprising an internal supporting means, a plurality ofways extendy.ing spirally about a common portion thereof,

' a thirdway extending spirally about a diffjust'ableV member forbridging the space between the separate spiral way and either of ferentportion of the internal supporting` means, and having its end spacedfrom the ends of the first mentioned ways, an adthe other spiral ways atwill, said member being adjustable and so kcorrelated with the waysthatone of its ends will be movable `from one to the` other of the firstmentioned y spiral ways Vand its other end will be in .Operativerelation with Vthe separate spiral vway inthe different positions oftheymem- .bien .alii eilte"z @eine 1 @wireline said ,ways

and means comprising-van endless element arranged outside the casingandextending lengthwise thereof and having connection with the bridgingmember for adjusting the latter from various places in the length of Ythe eonveyer.

9. A conveyer comprising a plurality kof spiral ways disposed in acommon portion of the conveyer, a member having an end for operativeconnection with either of said ways, said member being adjustabletovshift' its said end from either way to the other, an endlesselementhaving connection with the adjustable member and extending lengthwisekof the .conveyer Afor adjusting said member from Vdifferent places in.the length of the conveyer, and another yspiral way operatively relatedto the other endl of the adjustable member in the different positions ofthe'latter..

10. A conveyer comprising a plurality'of spiral ways disposed in acommon portion ofthe conveyer, a' member having an end for operativeconnection with either of said ways, said member being adjustable .tovshift its said en d from either way to the other,

a separate spiral way operatively related to the other end of theadjustable member in the different positions of the latter, and meansfor adjusting the adjustable member from different places in the lengthof they conveyer, said means comprising an endless element havingconnection with the adjustable member, rollers `above and below the.

adjustable member and engaged by the end- Vless element, and buttons onboth runs ofA the endless element. Y

`11. A conveyer comprising a pluralityof spiral ways havingcorresponding ends ,dis-

posed in substantially the same horizontal spaced from said end of thefirst mentioned ways, and a pivotally mounted section arranged in saidspace with one of its ends in operative relation with the end of saidsepa-.j

rate spiral way and its other end shiftable into operative relation fromeither of the rst mentioned spiral ways to the other of the same.

l2. A conveyer comprising a plurality of spiral ways disposed withhelices of one between helices of the other, said ways havingcorresponding ends arranged in substantially the same horizontal plane,a separate spiral wayhaving an end spaced from said plane, a separatespiral way having an end ends of the first mentioned ways, and apivotally` mounted section arranged in said space 'with onev of its endsin operative relation with the end of said separate spiral way and itsother end sliiftable vinto opera-j tive relation from either of theirstinentionedspiral ways to the other ofk the' same. 13. A conveyercomprising a plurality of spiral ways having a commonlongitudinal .eelsSeparate'selral-iway Seite@ tramite.

iso

firstmentioned Ways and Whose axis is substantially in line with theaxis' of the latter anda pivotally bridging section'constitut'- ing asection of' .a spiral and disposed in the space between the firstmentioned spirals and said separate spiral With its axis substantiallyalined with spirals. Y Y

14.' A conveyer comprising an internal supporting means, .a plurality ofspiral ways extending about a common part of the internal supportingmeans, a separate spiral Way extending about a dierent part of' theinternal supporting means and having its ends spaced from the ends ofthe latter, and a member pivotally adjustable about the internalsupporting means and arranged in said space, said member constituting asection of' a spiral and having one of its ends movable from operativerelation With either of the first mentioned spirals into operativerelation with the other of the `same and its other end inoperativerelation With said separate spiral in the dierent positions of themember. f Y v 15. A conveyer. comprising an internal supporting means, aplurality of spiral Ways extending about a common part of the internalsupporting means and having corresponding ends approximately at the samelevel, a separate spiral Way extending about a dierent part of theinternal supporting means and having its ends spaced from the ends ofthe latter, and a helical member pivotally adjustable about theyinternal supporting means and arranged in said space with one of itsends in operative relation v With the separate spiral Way in itsdifferent positions and its other end movable from operative relationwith either of the other spiral'ways into operative relation'With theother of the same.

16. A conveyer comprising an internal supporting means, a plurality'ofWays extending spirally about a common portion thereof, a separatewvayextending spirally about .a different portion of the internal supportingmeans with its end spaced from 'the ends of the first mentioned Ways, ahelical member mounted in the space-between the separate Way and thefirst mentioned ways and provided With collars pivotally mounted on theinternal supporting means,

Y tioned `Ways, Vlimits of its adjustment to those in which it the axesof said.

said member being adjustable to connect the separate way With either ofthe first menand means for defining the is properly correlated With saidways.V`

17. A conveyer comprising an internal supporting means, a plurality ofways extendingv spirally about a common portion thereof, a separate wayextending spirally about av differentv portion of the internal sup-Vporting means with its end spaced from the ends of the first mentioned`Ways, a helisony cal member mounted` in the spacebetween j the separateWay .and the first mentioned Waysand provided with collars pivotallymounted on the internal supporting means, one of said collars havingteeth, a rod having'a gear to engage said teeth, means for actuatingsaid rod to adjust said member, and means for definingvthe limits of theadjustment to'thosevin which the helical member connects the separatelWay. With the other Ways respectively.

l18. A conveyer comprising ,an internal supporting means and anoute'r'casing, a plurality of spiral .Ways extending about a common partof the internal Vsupporting means and arranged in the casing, aseparate` spiral Way extending around a different part of the internalsupporting means andarrangedA inthe casing and having an end spaced fromthe ends of the first mentioned Ways, a helical member mounted in saidspace and havingv collars mounted on the internal supporting means, oneof said collars having teeth, arod extending tothe outside of the casingand having a gear engaging said teeth, an endless element havingconnection with the rod and extending longitudinally of the casing andactuating said rod to adjust saidmember from dif-` ferent points in thelength of the casing, and means for defining they limits of'v theladjustment ofthe helical memberV to those in 'which it connects vtheseparate way with the otherways respectively.`

In testimony whereof I aihx my signature in presence of two Witnesses. Y

MORRIS U.; BERNHEIM. Y

Witnesses: -;;`i JAMES L. CRAWFORD C. STOCKMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for-live cents each, by addressingthe commissioner of ratents,

i Washngton,1). C, Y Y y

